KALISUCI CAVE TUBING YOGYAKARTA

Wading across the river that cuts across the karst slope on a floating tube will serve special sensation. The real adventure will begin when the stream enters the dark cave, so prepare yourself for this unforgettable exotic adventure.

Gunungkidul Regency has been known as a barren and dry area since topographically almost all of its regions consist of range of hills that underlain by limestone, or something known as karst. During the dry season, the green view of plants will dramatically change into brown because they are withering. However, behind its barrens, Gunungkidul possesses millions of potential tourism objects that are rarely found in other places. One among them is the beautiful cave that lies beneath the earth with the stream flows in it.

Go along the river flowing through the cave in the bowels of the earth is one of the adventures offered in Kalisuci, Semanu, Gunungkidul. Known as cave tubing, this activity combines caving and body rafting activity. Based on the information that cave tubing is only held in Mexico, New Zealand, and Gunungkidul, YogYES curiously began the new exciting and challenging adventure. After life jacket, helmet, and all supporting cave tubing equipments had been perfectly set on the body, YogYES started to walk along the path between jati woods to reach the start of Kalisuci cave tubing.

The winding river flow could clearly be seen from the cliff; the blue water looked contrast with the brown land, the karst, and also the withering plants, so that they formed an awesome and harmonious natural picture. After everybody got on the tube, the river adventure started. The tube moved as the river flew. When the water was still, our hands should row the tube to make it move, but when we were in a rapid, the tube would move fast and twirl following the stream flow. In some spots consisting of rocks and extreme rapid that was hard to go through, Yogyakarta should have got out of the river and walked while carrying the tube.

The real adventure began when the stream entered the recesses of Kalisuci and Gelatik cave. The sunlight disappeared and the situation turned into something dark. The only light was from the headlamp. The stalactites seen on the cave's roof kept dropping water from their tip. Some of them were crystal. Three bats were hanging on the ceiling, some fish were swimming under our feet, and a big spider was on the stalagmite. The beauty of the cave and the coolness of the river in the silence made us reluctant to leave. Having an intimate experience with the coldness of the river flow beneath the earth with an extra wonderful and exotic view was a really unforgettable adventure.

Note: Kalisuci Cave Tubing will be closed when the rainfall intensity is high, so for the tourists who want to do cave tubing should contact the organizer that consists of the local people several days before to check the stream.